§ 106-581.1.  Agriculture defined.

For purposes of this Article, the terms "agriculture", "agricultural", and "farming" refer to all of the following:

(1) The cultivation of soil for production and harvesting of crops, including but not limited to fruits, vegetables, sod, flowers and ornamental plants.

(2) The planting and production of trees and timber, including pine orchards planted and maintained for the purpose of harvesting pine needles for sale, or the harvesting of pine needles for sale from land with a forest management plan.

(3) Dairying and the raising, management, care, and training of livestock, including horses, bees, poultry, and other animals for individual and public use, consumption, and marketing. The raising, management, care, and training of horses includes the boarding of horses.

(4) Aquaculture as defined in G.S. 106-758.

(5) The operation, management, conservation, improvement, and maintenance of a farm and the structures and buildings on the farm, including building and structure repair, replacement, expansion, and construction incident to the farming operation.

(6) When performed on the farm, "agriculture", "agricultural", and "farming" also include the marketing and selling of agricultural products, agritourism, biofuel production for commercial sale, the storage and use of materials for agricultural purposes, packing, treating, processing, sorting, storage, and other activities performed to add value to crops, livestock, and agricultural items produced on a farm, and similar activities incident to the operation of a farm.

(7) A public or private grain warehouse or warehouse operation where grain is held 10 days or longer and includes, but is not limited to, all buildings, elevators, equipment, and warehouses consisting of one or more warehouse sections and considered a single delivery point with the capability to receive, load out, weigh, dry, and store grain.

(8) The production, processing, storage, use, and sale of compost for agricultural, residential, or commercial purposes by a permitted Small or Large Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 composting facility as defined in rules adopted by the Environmental Management Commission. For the purposes of this section, compost means a product made from organic plant, animal, or food waste and created through controlled aerobic, biological decomposition of biodegradable materials that, when subject to mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures, stabilizes the carbon content, reduces the viability of pathogens and vector attraction, and when added to soils is beneficial to plant growth.  (1991, c. 81, s. 1; 2005-390, s. 18; 2006-255, s. 6; 2013-347, s. 2; 2017-108, s. 8.1; 2023-63, s. 1.5; 2024-32, s. 1(a); 2026-11, s. 17.)